A Bavarian village of lights over the Cascades
This is leg 1 of 2, the opening leg.
Travel leg · Seattle, Snoqualmie Pass & Leavenworth
Seattle to Snoqualmie Pass
Seattle and Snoqualmie Pass sit about 72 km (45 mi) apart in a straight line, with Snoqualmie Pass to the east. It is leg 1 of 2 on our Seattle, Snoqualmie Pass & Leavenworth itinerary, a 5-day trip. Here is how long it takes by car, what to see on the way and where it fits in a real itinerary.
- Straight-line distance
- 72 km · 45 mi
- Est. road distance
- 87–101 km
- Est. drive time
- 1 h – 2 h
- Direction
- Heading east
- Curated routes
- 1 itinerary
Road distance is estimated as 1.2–1.4× the straight line; drive time assumes average speeds of 50–80 km/h with no stops or traffic. These are rough estimates — check a maps app for the actual route.
Ways to get there
We don't have live routing data, so the figures below are labelled estimates built from the straight-line distance. Use them to plan the day, then confirm in a maps app.
By car
Most travelers on our Seattle, Snoqualmie Pass & Leavenworth itinerary do this leg by car. We estimate 87–101 km (54–63 mi) of road and 1 h – 2 h behind the wheel, so check live traffic before you set off.
Seattle to Snoqualmie Falls is about 40 minutes on I-90; the pass is another 30 minutes. From the pass to Leavenworth via I-90, WA 970 and US 97 over Blewett Pass is about 1.5 hours, and Leavenworth back to Seattle over Stevens Pass on US 2 is about 2.5 hours. Fly into Seattle-Tacoma (SEA). Winter passes often require traction tires or chains, so check WSDOT pass reports before leaving. Amtrak's Empire Builder also stops at Leavenworth's Icicle Station.
Worth stopping for
Picks from our curated guides at both ends.
When you arrive in Snoqualmie Pass
A day on I-90: the falls, a depot full of trains, then snow at the pass.
Snoqualmie Falls
A 268-foot waterfall on the Snoqualmie River, running at full force in the wet winter months.
Salish Lodge & Spa
Lodge on the rim of Snoqualmie Falls with fireplaces in the rooms, a spa and a long-running country breakfast.
Northwest Railway Museum
Railway museum based in the 1890 Snoqualmie Depot, running its Santa Train to the falls on December weekends.
Twede's Cafe
North Bend diner that played the Double R in Twin Peaks, still serving cherry pie and coffee under Mount Si.
The Summit at Snoqualmie
Four ski areas at the top of I-90, the closest skiing to Seattle, with one of the largest night-skiing operations in the country.
Gold Creek Pond
Flat snowshoe loop around a mountain pond on the east side of the pass, reached from the Gold Creek Sno-Park.
Before you leave Seattle
Two nights for Pike Place, the Westlake lights and the Nutcracker.
Pike Place Market
Century-old public market with fishmongers, produce stalls and the original market arcades over Elliott Bay.
Zig Zag Café
Classic cocktail bar tucked down the Pike Street Hillclimb steps below the market.
Seattle Art Museum
Downtown art museum with strong Northwest Coast Native and modern collections.
On this curated route
Where Seattle → Snoqualmie Pass sits in the full itinerary. Highlighted stops are this leg.
Going the other way? Snoqualmie Pass to Seattle is the same 72 km in a straight line, heading west. Reverse directions in Google Maps ↗
Weather at each end
The biggest gap comes in April, when Snoqualmie Pass averages highs 8°C cooler than Seattle. Over a year, Snoqualmie Pass gets about 530 mm more rain.
| Measure | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle high | 8° | 8° | 11° | 14° | 18° | 20° | 24° | 24° | 21° | 15° | 10° | 7° |
| Snoqualmie Pass high | 1° | 1° | 3° | 6° | 13° | 16° | 20° | 21° | 17° | 10° | 4° | 0° |
| Seattle rain | 174 | 108 | 138 | 95 | 70 | 51 | 19 | 29 | 58 | 125 | 188 | 175 |
| Snoqualmie Pass rain | 258 | 167 | 197 | 130 | 101 | 78 | 29 | 38 | 76 | 183 | 258 | 249 |
Temperatures in °C, rain in mm per month. Long-term monthly averages from NASA POWER satellite climatology — a guide to typical conditions, not a forecast. Month headings link to Snoqualmie Pass month guides.
Seattle to Snoqualmie Pass: questions travelers ask
How far is Seattle from Snoqualmie Pass?
Seattle is about 72 km (45 mi) from Snoqualmie Pass in a straight line, with Snoqualmie Pass to the east. By road, we estimate 87–101 km (54–63 mi), or 1.2–1.4 times the straight line. Check a maps app for the exact route.
How long does it take to drive from Seattle to Snoqualmie Pass?
An estimated 1 h – 2 h, assuming 87–101 km of road at average speeds of 50–80 km/h with no stops or traffic. It is not a routed time, so check a maps app on the day.
Which itineraries include the trip from Seattle to Snoqualmie Pass?
Our Seattle, Snoqualmie Pass & Leavenworth itinerary includes this leg. Seattle, Snoqualmie Pass & Leavenworth runs about 5 days across 3 stops, best in Late Nov – Dec.
Onward from Snoqualmie Pass
Getting to Seattle
Guides for both ends
- Seattle travel guide
- Seattle weather best time to visit
- Snoqualmie Pass travel guide
- Snoqualmie Pass weather best time to visit
Snoqualmie Pass by month
- Snoqualmie Pass in January
- Snoqualmie Pass in February
- Snoqualmie Pass in March
- Snoqualmie Pass in April
- Snoqualmie Pass in May
- Snoqualmie Pass in June
- Snoqualmie Pass in July
- Snoqualmie Pass in August
- Snoqualmie Pass in September
- Snoqualmie Pass in October
- Snoqualmie Pass in November
- Snoqualmie Pass in December
Plan Seattle → Snoqualmie Pass with your crew
Add this leg to a shared itinerary, poll the group on where to stop, split fuel and tickets, and keep everyone's packing list in one place in TripsCircle.